Table



P. W. CHMIELOWSKI.

TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 1920.

Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

P. W. CHMIELOWSKI.

TABLE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13 1920.

atented-A r. 19,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNETE STAT PATE- TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

Application filed November 13, 1920. Serial No. 423,871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PETER W. CHMrELowem, a subject of the Republic ofPoland, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tables, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tables and consists in thematters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a top plan view of a game tableembodying the features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of said table, the game board beingshown in raised position above the table;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the table;

Fig. 1 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line14 of Fig. 3,the parts being shown in their normal positions;

Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view of said parts, but shown in thepositions they occupy when the game board is raised above the table;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig.3, the parts being in their normal positions; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the depressible plate on which thegame'board is mounted.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a table of that type having a flat top 2and four legs 3, one at each of the four corners of the table; the legsbeing connected by side. and end brace rails 4., 5 extending between thelegs and around the table directly beneath the under side of the top.

To provide said table with a game board construction of my invention, Icut a square hole or opening 6 in the top 2 adjacent one of the endrails 5, just inside of it,

and make the opening of a size to receive a square board 7, which whenin the opening fits and closes the same. The board 7 is flat and oneface has a checkered surface like a checker-board so that a game ofcheckers or chess or other game using a checker board may be played onthe table by the use of the board 7. The opposite flat face of the board7 is given a finish like that of the top of the table, so that when theboard is reversed and covers the opening 6, the board will appear to bea part of the top 2 and the table may be used fordining, reading, or anyother like purpose.

Securedto the under side of the top 2 about the opening 6 is an open boxlike frame 8 having an out-turned flange 9 about its upper margin forfastening the frame to the top 2, and'an inturned flange 10 about itsbottom margin to strengthen the frame and to act as a stop flange forthe depressible plate 11 in the frame. This plate 11 1s square, like theframe, and is slidably I mounted on an upright post 12 arranged withinthe frame and centrally thereof. This post, as shown, is square andextends through a square hole 13 in the plate 11, as indicated in Fig.7. This prevents the plate 11 from turning, on the post. The latter hasits upper end slightly below the upper surface of the top 2, and issecured at its lower end to a cross-bar 14 extending across the frame 8at its lower edge and secured thereto. 7

Between the plate 11 and cross-bar 14: is an expansion spring 15 coiledwidely and loosely about the post 12. This spring serves, when released,to raise the plate 11 upward, the upward movement of the plate beinglimited by a cross-pin 16 at the upper end of the post. To the undersidejof the plate 11 is secured a collar'17 extending about the post 12.Depending from this collar is a fixed locking member 18, which, when theplate 11 is fully depressed, passes through an aperture 19 in thecross-bar 1 1 and hooks over the inner end of a latch bar or rod 20slidably mounted on the crossplate 14 and having its outer end connectedwith the lower end of a lever 21 pivoted between its ends to a bracket22 secured to the inner side of one of the side rails 4:, as shown inFig. 6. To the upper end of the lever is secured a rod 23 extendingthrough the side. rail 4 and having a push button 24 on its outer end.This button when pushed inward moves the rod 20 out of locked engagementwith the locking member 18,,thereby releasing the spring 15' andenabling the plate 11 to be projected upward carrying therewith theboard 7. A spring 25 returns the rod 20 back in position to lock withthe member 18 when the plate 11 is depressed. The button 24.- is locatedin a recess 26 in the rail 4: and lies substantially flush with theouter surface of the Projecting above the plate 11 at opposite sidesthereof are two arms 27, 27. Between these the board 7 is pivotallymounted. The

board has trunnion pins 28, 28 to engage in apertures at the upper endsof said arms. These arms are slightly resilient and may be readilyspread apart to release the board 7 and permit it being reversed tobring either of its two flat surfaces, one plain and the othercheckered, to view. A leaf spring 29 is secured to the plate 11 undertheboard 7 and bears against the same in a manner to swing the boardupward about its pivot pins when the board is carried above the table,as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The backward swinging movement of the boardis limited by a stop member 30, which as shown is secured to the plate11, and allowsthe board to stand in open position, as shown. To

hold the board in horizontal position when flush with the table top, Iprovide a spring latch 31 secured to an upright strip 32. The upper endof this latch 31 is turned in to enter a recess 33 in the associatededge of the board, as shown in Fig. 4. The strip 82 is secured to theplate 11 andacts as a stop when the board is swung down into horizontalposition, and also to prevent the recess 33 from being carried downwardpast the upper end of the latch 31. This latch 31 is moved into lockedengagement with the board 7 when it is forced down into the tableopening 6 for closing the same.

The game pieces (not shown) when not in use are kept on the plate 11,and when the latter is depressed and the board 7 held flush with thetable top, the game pieces and other articles on the plate 11 are out ofview and confined in the compartment formed by the parts described. Touse the board to play a game, the button 24? is pressed inward,releasing the compressed spring 15, and the plate 11 brought upsubstantially flush with the table top. The board? is automaticallyswung open, so that it will not interfere with reaching the game pieceson the plate 11. After these are taken out, the board 7 is swung downand depressed to close the opening '6, and the latch devices hold theparts in that position to enable a game to be played on the board. Afterthe playing has been finished, the board 7 is again raised and the gamepieces put back on the plate 11, whereupon the parts are again depressedand held looked as before. If desired, the

board may be reversed for the purposes mentioned.

\Vhile I have shown and described herein in detail a construction of mvinvention, it is of course to be understood that the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts may be variously changed andmodified like the table top on the other side, depressible means forsupporting said board and ing the same above the table top, latch mechanism for holding-the board depressed flush with said top, meanson thetable for operating said latch mechanism for releasing said board, andmeans detachably connecting said board with saiddepressible means in amanner permitting said board to be reversed.

2. The combination with a table having a flat top with an opening withinthe margin thereof, of a game board to fit in and close said opening andbe flush with said top, a frame secured to said table beneath said topand surrounding said opening, a vertically depressible plate slidablymounted in said frame, means supporting said board above said plate, aspring for raising said plate and carrying the board above said top, alatch mechanism for holding said plate depressed with said board flushwith said top, and means on the table for operating said latch mechanismfor releasing said plate.

3. The combination with a table having a flat top with an opening withinthe margin thereof, of a game board to fit'in and close said opening andbe flush with said top, a frame secured to said table beneath said topand surrounding said opening, an upright post in the center of saidframe and secured thereto, a vertically depressible plate slidablymounted on said post, means supporting said board above said plate, aspring surrounding said post beneath said plate for raising the same andcarrying the board above said top,ja latch mechanism for holding saidplate depressed with said board flush with said top, and a push buttonmounted on the table and connected with said latch mechanism so that thesame may be operated for releasing said plate. V

l. The combination with a table having a flat top with an openingwithin, the margin thereof, of a game board to fit in and close saidopening and be flush with said top, a

frame secured to said table beneath said top I said plate is fullydepressed, and means on the table for operating said latch mechanism forreleasing said plate.

5. The combination with a table having a flat top with an opening withinthe margin thereof, of a game board to fit in and close said opening andbe flush with said top, a frame secured to said table beneath said topand surrounding said opening, a vertically depressible plate slidablymounted in said frame, means supporting said board above said plate, aspring for raising said plate and carrying the board above said top, alatch mechanism for holding said plate depressed with said board flushwith said top, said latch mechanism comprising two locking members, onein the form of a hook carried by said plate, and the other in the formof a spring pressed rod slidably mounted on said frame, and adapted tosnap into locked engagement with the other looking member when the plateis fully depressed, and a push button mounted on the table and connectedwith said latch mechanism so that the same may be operated for releasingsaid plate.

6. The combination with a table having a fiat top with an opening withinthe margin thereof, of a game board to fit in and close said opening andbe flush with said top, a frame secured to said table beneath said topand surroundin said opening, a cross-bar secured to said frame, anupright post in the center of said frame and secured to said crossbar, avertically depressible plate slidably mounted on said post, meanssupporting said board above said plate, a spring surrounding said postbetween said plate and crossbar for raising said plate and carrying saidboard above said top, a latch mechanism for holding said plate.depressed with said board flush with said top, said latch mechanismcomprising two locking members, one in the form of a hook carried bysaid plate and adapted to pass through a hole in said cross-bar when theplate is fully depressed, the other locking member being a springpressed rod slidably mounted on said cross-bar to snap into lockedengagement with said hook when the plate is depressed, and a push buttonmounted on the table and connectedwith said rod so that v board abovesaid plate, a spring for raising said plate and carrying the board abovesaid top, a latch mechanism for holding said plate depressed, a latchmember carried by said plate and engaging said board when depressed forholding the same flush with said top, means for operating said latchmechanism for releasing said plate, and a spring on said plate forswinging said board upward on its pivots when raised above said top bysaid plate.

8. The combination with a table having a flat top with an opening withinthe margin thereof, of a game board to fit in and close said opening andbe flush with said top, a frame secured to said table beneath said topand surrounding said opening, a vertically depressible plate slidablymounted in said frame, upright arms secured to opposite sides. of saidplate, means for pivotally mounting said board between said arms, alatch mechanism for holding'said plate depressed, means for operatingsaid latch mechanism for releasing said plate, a latch member mounted onsaid plate and adapted when the board and plate are depressed to engagesaid board and hold the same flush with said top, and a spring carriedby said plate and engaging said board to swing the same into openposition above the top when said plate is raised.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I aflix mysignature, this 11th day of November, A. D. 1920.

PETER W. CHMIELOWSKI.

